


Ferals

by CadmeanVixen



Category: South Park
Genre: Action, Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Animal Instincts, Badass Kyle Broflovski, Bigotry & Prejudice, Curses, Demon/Human Relationships, Demons, Drama, Family, Feral Behavior, Fluff, Friendship, Harassment, Hidden Talents, Human/Vampire Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Immortality, Jealousy, M/M, Magic, Mild Gore, Modern Era, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Nature, Non-Sexual Submission, Nonverbal Communication, Nymphs & Dryads, OOC for a reason though, Original characters used for plot, Possible OOC at times, Power Dynamics, Romance, Succubi & Incubi, Survival, Temporary Amnesia, Vampires, anger issues, style is the main ship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-02-15 19:41:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18676174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CadmeanVixen/pseuds/CadmeanVixen
Summary: Ten years ago, a new supernatural species came into existence. No one knows where they came from, but they are a danger to humanity and are growing in numbers fast. They share some physical characteristics with vampires, but tend to act more wild than werewolves who don't have their human mind. That is why they are called ferals.All it takes is a bite, and if the human survives the attack, they become one of them. Many of them end up losing it when they turn and attack everything that moves. Some are able to form packs with other ferals. Few are able to regain their human mind.





	1. Chapter 1

It is the middle of the afternoon when Kyle walks over to his friend's house. He is hoping his friend, Stan, will want to hang out with him today. The sky has no clouds, and the sun is shining brightly; keeping everything warm. There is a gentle breeze, which fights with the sun's harsh rays and prevents anyone who's outdoors from the possibility of overheating. Needless to say, it is the perfect day to go outside. It is also a special occasion, as it is not typical for a day in October to be so pleasant. Not even if it's only the sixth day of October. At least, it's not normal where Kyle lives.

The previous couple weeks have been frigid. It has been a common occurrence for frost to blanket the ground by the time it is morning. Many trees have sections of leaves turning orange, red, yellow, and brown. Squirrels are running around, foraging for food. It is obvious winter is coming. It often comes in early November, so there isn't much time left to prepare for it. The warm day is a lucky break, for anyone or any animal dreading it. Even people who don't mind that the cold season is coming shouldn't take the day for granted, as most of these individuals will end up growing tired of it, regardless of their optimism. Spending time outside during a bout of warmth in the fall may lessen one's chances of falling victim to winter fatigue.

Kyle knocks on Stan's front door. When there is no response, he knocks again. He knocks a few more times, growing impatient, until Stan opens the door. His friend has to stare down at him, as he's a bit more than half a foot taller than him, and he's on the first step. While Kyle had to back up onto the third step, so he is out of the door's way when it swings open. While they maintain eye contact, Kyle can tell his friend had woken up not too long ago. His hair is messy, his eyes are half-lidded from exhaustion, and he has red lines on his left cheek from pressing it against the wrinkled fabric of his pillow.

Stan says, "Oh. Hi, Kyle."

Kyle replies, "Hi, Stan. Would you like to hang out today? It's really nice outside."

"Um, sure. Just let me get ready. I just got out of bed."

"Yes, I can see that. You stayed up really late again, didn't you? And alright. I can wait."

Stan steps back into the house, but keeps the door open, "Why don't you come in? I have to take a shower and what not, so it might take a bit."

"Okay."

Kyle walks up the steps and into Stan's house. He hadn't been outside long, so his eyes hadn't adjusted to the sunlight. That's why he finds the dark lighting of his friends house to be a relief. He still prefers to be outside, though. Being in a house isn't as exciting, as the cold of the past two weeks had been bullying him into staying indoors, so he wants a change in his environment. He wants to be surrounded by trees and have a gentle breeze mess with his hair. No house can provide that.

He sits on the couch in the living room while he waits. He's bored, but nothing the house provides for entertainment interests him. The only thing he ever wants to do while he's at Stan's house is hang out with his friend. They grew up together and have been best friends since the age of two. Their friendship stayed strong throughout the years. They were always able to work it out during times when their relationship was strained, and it didn't take them long to find a solution. In fact, every time they overcame a hardship that threatened their friendship, they only grew closer.

His friend comes out of the bathroom after forty minutes. He's in a new outfit and his hair is dry, as he had blow-dried it. He walks to the kitchen to grab a snack, and after eating it, he puts his shoes on. He grabs a blanket from the closet, and since he's ready, he says, "Alright, let's go."

Kyle follows Stan outside. Excitement bubbles in his chest upon being met with a gentle breeze. The sight of the blanket Stan has bundled up in one of his arms causes his excitement to grow. It means he plans on lying in a clearing somewhere in the forest and basking in the sun! If there's one thing Kyle's going to miss about the summer, it's basking in the sun with his friend. Even though he's a redhead, he still enjoys being in the sun. Not only that, but he's lucky. He doesn't burn as often as other redheads do while they're outside during the day. However, he doesn't tan, either. Most of the time, he obtains a pinkish tint to his skin. It's better than burning, but he hates it, because it isn't appealing to the eye.

Besides, he enjoys snuggling up to his friend while he's out in the sun. He loves being in the woods during the day, where they have privacy, as they've figured out which clearings in the woods they can hang out at without being bothered by other people. His friend is warm, so he protects him from the occasional chill. His arms are strong, so being held by him gives him the delusion that nothing can ever hurt him.

His friend's size also feeds this false belief. He is eighteen, turning nineteen in a couple weeks. It is possible he could grow another inch, but the odds are against him. He is most likely finished growing. Not that it matters. He stands at six feet and two inches and weighs one hundred eighty pounds. Kyle is small in comparison. He's only five feet and seven inches and weighs one hundred twenty-five pounds, and has no faith in growing taller, as he has been that height for a while. Besides, his mother is only five feet tall, and his father is the average male's height, so it isn't surprising he ended up with his height. Growing up, he hated how much taller his friend was becoming, but he doesn't mind the size difference, anymore.

It takes a twenty minute walk in the woods for Stan and Kyle to arrive at their favorite spot to hang out. When they are at their favorite clearing, Stan lays the blanket out and sits down on it. Kyle sits down next to him and rests his head against his friend's shoulder. Stan hugs him with one arm for doing so, which causes a warmth in his stomach to develope. Thoughts enter his head, while he cuddles with his friend, _Sometimes, I wonder if there's something more to our friendship. We don't act like normal friends. Sure, maybe friends can be affectionate toward each other, but we cuddle with each other pretty often. And why do I feel warm and fuzzy on the inside when we do this sort of thing? I'm ninety-nine percent sure it's because I have feelings for my best friend. Why else would I feel this way? Does he feel the same way about me?_

His mind is quiet for a moment, and after the short-lived silence, more thoughts enter it, _Maybe I'm overthinking this? Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions. The warm feeling could be from intense happiness. But that doesn't sound right. Since when have I ever gotten a warm feeling in my stomach or chest from anything other than being around my best friend? One thing that really makes me happy is accomplishing something after working hard to do so for a long time. Sure, the feeling is great, but it's nothing like what I feel right now. No one else can make me feel this way, either._

He asks, "Stan? Do you sometimes get a warm feeling in your stomach when someone holds you?"

Stan furrows his eyebrows in confusion and says after processing the question, "Um, well... I guess I sometimes get a warm feeling in my stomach. Why are you asking me this?"

Kyle ignores the question and presents another one, "Does it depend on the person who's holding you?"

"Yes..."

"And does the warm feeling sometimes spread to your chest?"

"Seriously, Kyle. Why are you asking me all these questions?"

A blush appears on Kyle's face, "I'm sorry, I'm just curious."

"Curious? About what?"

Leave it to Stan to be oblivious to the obvious. Kyle furrows his eyebrows in irritation, "What do you think? I'm wondering why I sometimes feel this way!"

"Oh!"

"Well? What's your oppinion on this?"

"Um, well... this might sound weird, but maybe it means you have feelings for someone?"

Kyle grows quiet at this response. Stan asks, "Who makes you feel this way?"

Kyle's blush intensifies and he turns his head away. It's as if he has regressed five years mentally, back to when he was in middle school. Stan smiles and says, "Come on, Kyle. You can tell me."

He mumbles, "You make me feel this way..."

Stan isn't sure he heard right, "Who?"

"You..."

"Me?"

"Yes!"

Stan stares at Kyle, dumbstruck. When he recovers from his shock, he asks, "How long have you felt this way?"

"For a long time. At first, it wasn't that bad. I would feel a small warmth around you now and then, but I didn't think anything of it. But the feeling kept getting stronger. I realized a year ago that I might have feelings for you. It's been bothering me lately because the feeling won't go away. It's been two years since I started having this feeling! And I think it's about time you knew..."

"Wow..."

"Do you mind that I have these feelings for you?"

"No, not at all! I'm flattered, actually."

Kyle smiles, "So, you don't find it creepy?"

"Of course not, dude. You never gave me a reason to be creeped out by you."

"Do you feel the same way?"

At this point, Stan is also blushing. He says, "Yeah. Sorry for not telling you sooner. I actually started to realize I like you a few months ago. I just wasn't sure if you liked me back. But I was planning on asking you at some point, just to be sure!"

"It's okay. Maybe you just weren't ready. I probably should've told you sooner, too. But a lot of girls seem to like you, and I've only ever seen you show interest in the opposite sex, so I thought that you wouldn't be interested in me. Yeah, I know. It's pathetic."

"Well, a year is a pretty long time to know you like someone and not tell them about it. Oh well. At least I know now."

The two young men lean toward each other and their lips meet. Stan grabs the back of Kyle's head while they kiss, and wraps his free arm around the small of his back so he can hold him close. Kyle hugs Stan's shoulders in response. It isn't long until Stan slides his tongue into his love's mouth, in an attempt to spice things up. In response to the bold move, Kyle allows his own tongue to be involved in the kissing session. Once in a while, they take breaks to catch their breath. They stop making out when they are satisfied with the amount of affection they have shown each other. Panting, they both lie down on the blanket and gaze into each other's eyes. Kyle says, "That was great!"

"Yeah, that was. I'm glad we finally know about each other's feelings."

Stan pulls Kyle into a tight embrace. They share a long moment of silence.

When something comes to Stan's mind, he breaks it, "You know, I'm glad neither of us have been selected to fight against the ferals and other supernatural creatures. I don't like the idea of you getting hurt or killed. And I don't want us to end up being separated, somehow."

"And even though ferals are dangerous, I don't like the thought of you being trained to kill supernatural beings! Especially if you're being forced to kill them; regardless of whether or not they are posing any threat!"

"You know I would never hurt someone who can use magic, unless they were attacking me! I know that not all spellcasters are evil! It would be like killing a regular human for no reason, if they weren't doing anything to hurt anyone! I've told you a thousand times I wouldn't feel right about that. Even if I was told to kill someone like you, I wouldn't."

"I know, but I still don't like the idea of you being trained to kill people like me. It's just... disturbing."

Even though Kyle is the offspring of two regular human beings, he is still able to use magic. The gene for magical ability is rare and recessive. Which is why it isn't at all common for two ordinary human beings to produce a spellcasting child, but it's still possible. Ever since the age of five, his magical abilities became obvious to his parents. They found out one day when he was playing around with a small ball of fire. Fortunately, he didn't burn anything, as he had full control over the fire ball he created and never willed it to leave his hands. However, he was forbidden to ever use his magic again. It isn't as if his parents believe his magical abilities are wrong. The reason they don't want him to use magic is because they don't want him to make a habit of playing around with it and end up using it in public. After all, if he is caught using it, he will be in danger of execution. He continued to mess around with it in private, anyway. He still does to this day.

Stan found out about his magical abilities when he was seven. It was the middle of winter, and he wanted s'mores. He was disappointed, because there was no way anyone was going to have a bonfire in the middle of winter, and he wanted to roast marshmallows over a fire. That was when Kyle summoned a small flame in his hand without considering his friend's lack of knowledge. At first, Stan freaked out, but Kyle was able to convince him that he would never hurt him. He also claimed the reason why he was afraid was because people didn't understand that not all spellcasters are evil, so they were making the world a dangerous place for magic users who didn't do anything wrong. Ever since that incident, Stan vowed to keep his friend's secret.

When Kyle was ten, he found an abandoned five year old out in the woods. It didn't take him long to find out the child was also able to use magic, which must have been the reason why he was abandoned. After all, most people don't want to risk being associated with a relative who can use magic, as the public will grow suspicious of them as well. At this point, Kyle understood the impact of the stigma of being able to use magic and believed it was his duty to make sure the child had a home with understanding parents. He brought the child home with him and begged his parents to adopt him. At first, they were hesitant, as there would be legal issues with taking in a random child. Fortunately, his father is a lawyer, so they were able to work something out. They named the child Ike and he became Kyle's little brother.

Unlike the majority of other supernatural beings, it's easy for spellcasters to hide. The only thing different about them, other than their ability to use magic, is their intelligence. Spellcasters tend to be smarter than the average human. Especially when it comes to subjects like math. Since ordinary humans can also have above average intelligence, or even be geniuses, this sign is often overlooked. The only burden spellcasters have to deal with, when it comes to hiding their identity, is resisting the urge to use magic in public. The urge can be strong if magic provides an easy solution to a problem.

Stan tightens his arms around Kyle and says, "It's going to be okay. Who knows if we'll ever have to fight a supernatural being? Let's not worry about things that haven't happened, yet. I know that ferals are becoming a serious problem lately, but people are starting to find better ways to fight them off. Maybe they won't even be a problem in a few years and everything can go back to normal."

Kyle nuzzles Stan's chest when he is finished speaking. He doesn't say anything, as the comforting words had rid him of his worries. Not to mention, his love is stroking his hair; an easy way to keep him soothed. It isn't long until they both drift off to sleep. After all, they're comfortable in each other's arms, and the warmth of the sun had made them drowsy.

**~O~**

A sliver of the sun remains on the horizon by the time Stan and Kyle are awake. Autumn is making the days shorter, so the sun is setting earlier every evening. When Stan grows aware of how dark his surroundings have become since falling asleep, he exclaims, "Crap! The sun's almost completely gone!"

Kyle's eyes widen in shock. He is fully awake because Stan yells the observation with obvious urgency. He is quick to jump to his feet, "We better get going! It isn't safe out here!"

Stan nods his agreement and gathers up the blanket before attempting to dash out of the woods with Kyle.

It's never been safe to wander in the woods at night. Not because of wild animals one might encounter, but because it is when the hostile and powerful supernatural beings come out. The woods have become all the more deadly when ferals came into existence. No one is sure where they came from, but they were first discovered ten years ago. Ever since they were discovered, they have been growing in numbers at a concerning rate. If they don't kill a human, they infect them, which adds to their numbers. In fact, there are so many of them now that they have been raiding towns in the past year. Fortunately, humans are still able to fight then off, but what will happen if their population keeps growing?

What makes them deadly is that they are similar to both vampires and werewolves, but are far more common. Their appearance mostly resembles a vampire. They have long, sharp fangs, pale skin, and glowing eyes. Their eyes don't always glow red like a vampire's, though. They only glow red if the feral has warm-hued brown eyes in normal lighting. The other eye colors they can have are orange for dark brown, yellow for light brown, yellow-green for hazel, green for green, and blue for blue. They have slit pupils. On their hands, they have four inch long, retractable claws.

Behavior wise, most of them act more wild than the werewolves who have no control over how they act. With werewolves, there is a seventy-five percent chance they will regain their human mind after being infected. With ferals, the chance is less than five percent. That is why they're called ferals. Many of them run around aimlessly and attack everything in sight. These are the most dangerous ones, but fortunately, they often end up dying because of their reckless behavior. A quarter of the ferals, though still primitive in the mind, are able to form packs and live a similar lifestyle to wolves. Though these ones most likely won't bother humans if they're left alone, there have been packs that raided towns, due to scarce food. As for the ones who regain their human mind, it can take a month for them to gain it back. Yet, they still have behavioral problems, such as trouble managing anger.

When Kyle and Stan make it half way through the woods, a feral jumps in front of them. Its yellow eyes glare at them, its claws are unsheathed, and its teeth are bared. It growls and saliva drips from its mouth; a sign it is famished. Ferals tend to be turned off by human flesh, but if one hasn't eaten for days, it won't hesitate to eat a human.

Before they can do anything to react, the feral lunges at Stan. In a panic, Kyle forms a fireball in his hand and launches it at the feral. It is poorly executed, but it is still enough to make the feral cry out in pain and free Stan. The feral turns its attention to Kyle, but Kyle casts another fireball at it. This time, he hits it in the face. Now the beast is enraged! It's about to lunge at him, but Stan takes out his pocket knife and stabs it into its leg. Sure, it's not the best weapon of choice, but it is all he has. It is still overwhelmed with pain, though. The pocket knife makes for a decent distraction, at least.

Kyle uses the feral's distracted state as an opportunity to throw yet another fireball at it. This causes the feral to flee, as the fight is becoming too much for it to handle.

Kyle runs over to Stan and kneels down next to him. He grabs one of his hands and asks, "Are you okay?"

Stan yanks his hand away. Panic is obvious in his voice, "No! I've been bit!"

Kyle glances at the shoulder Stan is covering, and can tell by the remaining light of the sunset there is blood soaking his clothes in that area. He still questions in disbelief, "Bit!?"

"Yes!"

Kyle stands up and puts both his hands in his hair. He grips his curls out of stress and exclaims, "What are we supposed to do!? I don't want you to become a feral!"

"There isn't anything we can do! You're just going to have to go home without me!"

"NO! I'm not going home without you! I can't just leave you here! I love you!"

"I love you, too! And I'm sorry, but this is it..."

Kyle stands there for a moment, until an idea comes to him, "Well, maybe there's nothing I can do to stop you from turning, but at the very least, can I make sure you're a safe distance from the town? That way, you're less likely to be hunted down?"

"... Are you sure it's a good idea to try and keep me alive at this point?"

"I don't care if you don't think it's a good idea! I love you too much to let you die!"

"Kyle, I don't want to be a feral! I don't want to become a mindless killing machine!"

"Maybe there's a chance you'll get your human mind back! We can't just assume you won't get better!"

"No! Stop it! This isn't a good idea! Just go home! You aren't safe out here!"

"And you aren't safe right here! Now, come on! We have to get you further in the woods before you turn!"

Before Stan can say anything, Kyle grabs his hand, so he has no choice but to stand up and follow him. They travel through five miles of the woods. They are lucky not to be attacked, while they wander through the dark woods, with a small flame from Kyle's hand being the only light source. Stan keeps begging him to return home and claiming they are far enough from civilization, but Kyle wants to be sure.

Tears are rolling down Kyle's cheeks by the time he believes they're far enough. The journey was more than an hour long, but he was able to keep his emotions under control, as he is determined to make sure Stan is safe. It's too much for him to handle, now. He's never going to see friend, no, _lover_ , again after saying good bye...

The flame in Kyle's hand disappears and he pulls Stan into a tight embrace. An ugly sob escapes his throat, but he doesn't care! Stan hugs him in return and his voice is wavering, "G-good bye, Kyle. I'll always love you. I'm sorry we couldn't spend more t-time together."

Through the sobs, Kyle says, "I'm going to miss you so much!"

"I know. I'm going to miss you, too."

They hold each other for a long time, and when Kyle is no longer sobbing, Stan plants a quick kiss on his lips and says, "You have to go, now. I think I might turn, soon. I'm starting to feel weird."

"I can't!"

"You have to!"

"Can I please stay a little longer?"

A pained groan escapes Stan's mouth and he pushes Kyle away. When he recovers, he yells, "Listen to me! You have to leave! NOW!"

Kyle stumbles from being pushed, but he's able to regain his balance. When Stan is finished speaking, he says in a quiet voice, "Stan?"

"LEAVE!"

Kyle turns his gaze towards Stan, and regrets doing so immediately. His friend's eyes are now glowing blue and his pupils are slits. He's guessing based on the faint silhouette of his friends figure (the only thing visible about his friend without the fire as a light source in the dark forest) he is gripping his hair in agony. He stands frozen in fear. Stan screams, " GO!"

After recovering from his shock, watching as his friends silhouette now appears to be on all fours, and listening to the pained screams, he turns to run. However, not too long after he does so, there is a growling sound behind him. He cries out when he is tackled to the ground. Claws are stabbed into his right arm and left shoulder. He let's out a scream of pain as they dig deeper. When he recovers from the shock of the impact, he dares to glance at his attacker to find his lover's glowing blue eyes. He whimpers, "Stan, please! It's me! Don't you remember?"

Obviously, the plead doesn't work. Stan is gone, now. This horrible monster has replaced him.

The monster removes it's claws from Kyle's right arm, but replaces them with his teeth. Another scream escapes Kyle. Fresh tears form in his eyes from the pain. His screaming only causes the monster to bite down harder.

Kyle wants to use his magic to defend himself, but he's unable to do so in his state. He has never been properly trained on how to fight with his magic, as it is taboo in the human world to be a spellcaster, so he has no tricks up his sleeve to weasel himself out of his situation. He has to pray the feral won't hit an artery, stab an organ, or bite his neck.

Fortunately, the feral frees him of his claws and teeth and leaves him when he is reduced to a whimpering mess. Perhaps he only attacked because he believed Kyle was a threat? He stays still, in the hopes that the monster will continue to leave him be.

It isn't long until Kyle is lightheaded from the pain. He wants to stay awake, in case he is attacked by yet another creature and so he can apply pressure to his wound so he doesn't bleed out, but he understands he can't stay awake much longer. When he's sure the feral is gone, he summons a small amount of fire in his hand with what strength he has left and holds it close enough to his skin to seal the wound on his arm shut. He winces at the burning sensation, but it's nothing compared to the agony the monster put him through. Although burning his wound shut isn't ideal, it's better than bleeding out. Since there's no way for him to clean out his wound at the moment, and leaving it open will likely result in infection if he survives bleeding out, anyway, he doesn't care for the risks of cauterizing his wound. It will buy him time.

When he's finished tending to his wounds, he rests his head on the ground once more and closes his eyes. Before he blacks out, two realizations enter his mind: he's either going to die alone in the dark woods because of his injuries, or he's going to recover and live the rest of his life as a feral. Either way, the future is bleak.


	2. Chapter 2

Kyle awakes to sunlight violating his eyes. An irritated groan escapes his mouth. He doesn't understand why, but he can't stand the sunlight. It isn't as if it's causing him physical harm. All it's doing is irritating him.

It doesn't help that he has pain all over his body. The top of his right arm, near his shoulder, is the worst when it comes to bothering him about its discomfort. Even the slightest movements with the abused arm cause him agony. He wants to rip it off, in the hopes he will no longer have to deal with the pain, but he doesn't bother. It would make no sense for him to do that. Not only will it make him more vulnerable, but it would be a waste of energy.

Kyle opens his eyes fully, in order to study his surroundings. He's deep within a forest, which is the part of his situation he doesn't mind. Even if he has no recollection of anything that had happened before he awoke in a forest clearing, he doesn't feel out of place. There is plenty of coverage, and the scent of delicious prey hiding in the undergrowth entices him. What he has a problem with is all the sunlight surrounding him. Not only is it irritating, but it makes him weak. What if something attacks him? Being in the sunlight gives him a disadvantage. He wants to be in the best condition possible at all times. It isn't something he has to be taught; it's his instinct.

He spots a large pine tree with low-hanging branches. The branches are large, so they provide plenty of shade. It's the best available place for him to rest during the day.

He lifts himself up onto his hands and knees. His body protests the movement, as his right arm is screaming in pain and his left shoulder is also claiming it has been hurt somehow. His limbs are also shaking from the weight of his body, but he ignores his discomfort. If he wants to recover from his weakness and pain, he has to take care of himself. He can't allow himself to succumb to the desire to go back to sleep where he currently is in the clearing.

It is a long, painful journey to the pine tree, but it's worth it once he's within the protection of it's shade. Relief washes over him as the darkness engulfs him. The lightheadedness he was experiencing from crawling over to the tree in the sunlight is lessened. He doesn't even care if there are pine needles poking at the palms of his hands and through his clothing. He curls up into a fetal position so he isn't applying any pressure on his right arm and closes his eyes. There are now pine needles poking his cheek, but it's a warm welcome, compared to the harsh brightness of the sunlight. It isn't long until he's lost in the black void of unconsciousness.

**~O~**

It's dark in the forest when Kyle awakes from his deep slumber. The wound on his right arm isn't doing any better, but he has more energy than before he fell asleep. He ignores the pain and stretches before emerging from the shelter of the pine tree. His first objective is to make sure there are no potential threats in his surroundings. After all, it is dangerous to live carelessly in an area that may be inhabited by a creature of a different species that is aggressive, or with another feral who won't appreciate his company. Though he plans on finding another feral to help him live in the woods at some point, he doesn't want to risk confrontation at the moment.

He sniffs the air, to determine if there are other scents aside from delicious prey and the homely fragrances of the forest. All the muscles in his body tense when he detects the fresh scent of another feral within his surroundings. How long had it been there? Was it there when he was passed out in the clearing, and somehow he'd missed it? He bares his teeth in a display of aggression, even though there is no one around to catch sight of him and become intimidated by him. He wants to keep his guard up, in case the other feral is still around. Even if there is a possibility it only wanted to pass through and didn't mean to cause any harm, it isn't likely. It is obvious this part of the forest is plentiful in prey and there is no indication Kyle lives here and owns this territory. He doesn't even have a proper shelter yet, so the land is untouched.

Aside from this part if the forest being the perfect place to live, Kyle is vulnerable. His wound causes him to move slower, due to the discomfort. He also has less endurance than other ferals at the moment and isn't willing to move his right arm in swift motions, in the fear of causing himself excruciating pain. Why would another feral care to respect his claims over the territory? It would be easy for them to chase him away. He can't count on a group of ferals wanting him to join them, either. They would consider him useless the moment they set their eyes on him. Even another lone feral might reject him.

Since he doesn't want to apply anymore pressure on his right arm, and he believes he is strong enough, he stands up. He is dizzy for a few seconds after doing so, but he recovers. Even if ferals are often wild creatures, they are still bipedal. It isn't comfortable or efficient for them to crawl around on all fours. They aren't different from humans in that regard. However, despite being bipedal, they are still fast when it comes to running. They can't run as fast as werewolves, and are a bit slower than wolves themselves (werewolves are a bit faster than wolves). Their speed is more than twice that of the more athletic humans, though. Which is why humans have trouble escaping ferals when they encounter them.

He searches the clearing for any indication the other feral had spent more time here than he needed to. Are there the remains of prey lying around? A single feral doesn't eat the bones of prey unless they are starving and food is scarce. Eating the bones of a carcass is something the lowest ranking members of a pack often have to do. This is because it is harder to feed a pack than it is to feed a single feral, and a pack can only cover so much territory, as it is difficult to keep track of who owns what after a certain point. After all, they don't have to only keep track of their own land, but the boundaries of their enemies as well.

He doesn't spot any remains of prey. There's no scent of freshly killed animals, either. As far as he's aware, there's no sign any of the ground in the clearing had been dug up, so the remains of prey could be buried, or so that a freshly killed critter could be hidden and saved for later (with the later, there would be something to mark the spot the fresh kill had been buried, such as a pinecone or rock, so the feral who hid it won't forgot where they buried it).

What he does find odd is the blood on the ground. There is dry blood all over the spot he had been lying in before finding shelter under a pine tree. It isn't the blood itself he finds suspicious, though, but how it ended up staining the dirt and vegetation. He understands it's his own blood. Not only because it's scent is similar to the dry blood on his wound, but because he recalls lying in that spot when the sun was still out. What's confusing is that the scent of the other feral is strong where the dry blood is. There is also the faint scent of fear all over it. Not from one, but two individual creatures.

From what he can assume, based on the evidence presented to him, is that this feral had attacked him because it felt threatened. It doesn't add up, though. Since when was he attacked by another feral? Sure, he has a healing wound on his shoulder, but he doesn't recall encountering another feral. Ever. He doesn't recall ever being attacked by anything, either. In fact, he doesn't have any memories from before he awoke in the clearing in the middle of the day. It is as if he popped into existence not too long ago, and has to start living life in the middle of it, instead of being born like every other creature on Earth and starting at the beginning.

It hurts his mind to try and make sense of his situation, because there is no way he can make sense of it. Not with how primitive his mind is. The best thing he can do is not dwell on why he doesn't remember being attacked, but whether or not the other feral is still around.

He follows the scent of the other feral. He doesn't plan on finding him (based on the scent, he can tell he is a male), but is following the trail he left behind to make sure he is far enough away from the clearing. Unfortunately, it isn't long until he spots him sitting against a tree and nibbling on a brown bird of prey. Kyle tenses at the sight and his eyes are wide. His heart is beating at a rapid pace and his breathing quickens. It's hurting his chest.

Even though the feral in front of him is sitting, he can tell he is larger and stronger than him. Although his threat is a bit on the slim side, it is more of a healthy, athletic slim. No one would be able to miss the lean muscles on his arms. Kyle's arms are more bony in comparison. It doesn't help that the other has a decent bone structure to use to his advantage, as he has broad shoulders, and the rest of him is large enough to match them and make him well proportioned. There is no way he will ever be able to win a fight against this feral.

Before he can even consider running away from the threat, the other feral turns his head towards him. However, he displays no sign of aggression as he stands up and strides over to Kyle. Which makes no sense, as the feral had found him a threat earlier. After all, why would his fear scent be there if he didn't believe he was threatened? Perhaps Kyle hadn't put up a good fight, so the other feral no longer finds it necessary to be a afraid of him? While he approaches him, the ferals eyebrows are furrowed in annoyance. He must view him as a pest at this point. It doesn't help that he interrupted his breakfast (or snack, as there's no way one small bird of prey is filling enough to be considered a meal).

Kyle steps backwards as the feral approaches him. The fear creates an illusion of his lungs being compressed, making it all the harder for him to breath. He wants to clutch his chest, but he's afraid any swift movements will trigger his enemy into attacking him. In fact, he doesn't do anything to come off as threatening, until his back hits a tree. Since the other feral has him cornered, Kyle unsheathes his claws and snarls as a last resort. If he's being cornered, he finds it hard to believe he will be spared harm, even if he acts docile. He lifts his left arm up in an attempt to give the feral a warning scratch across his cheek, but he is stopped when his wrist is gripped in a tight hold. Kyle's fear scent is pungent at this point, but the feral in front of him, who now has full control over his left arm, is apathetic toward his emotions. His eyes are half-lidded, as if the only thing he cares about is finishing the bird he was eating.

Kyle struggles to free himself, but is punished for doing so, as he is slammed against the tree. He whimpers at the impact, as his wound hits the tree hard in the process. He can tell the other feral isn't putting all his weight into restraining him, as he has one hand pushing against his chest. This causes his heart to beat quick enough to the point where he won't be surprised if it explodes. They stay that way for a while, until the feral uses the hand that is now free, as he is no longer gripping his wrist, to reach for his face. Since Kyle doesn't trust the feral's intentions, he turns his head away, screws his eyes shut, and shields his face with his arm.

The feral pulls his arm out of the way as if it's nothing, and places his hand under Kyle's chin so he can turn his head towards him. The touch is gentle, so out of curiosity, Kyle opens his eyes. The feral studies his face for a while. His eyebrows are knitted together in concentration, and there is a spark of interest in his glowing blue eyes. Though his pupils have been slits the majority of the time he had interacted with him, they had never narrowed into thin lines. Feral's pupils grow thinner as they become more distressed. His only narrowed a bit to express annoyance. After studying Kyle, they become roundish slits, which is a sign of pleasure.

Kyle is confused as to why the feral is interested in him; considering he was annoyed with his presence moments ago. It's as if his enemy now sees him as a long lost friend. After all, he's gazing at him as if he recognizes him. However, as Kyle stares back, he has to admit, the feral is familiar. There's something about his blue eyes, black hair, and tall and strong build. He swears he's encountered someone with all these characteristics before. Maybe he's even known someone with these traits for a long time.

A warmth develops in his chest, and he is no longer afraid. His pupils go from being thin lines to the roundish slit shape the other feral's are. He doesn't understand why his heart is now fluttering with joy, or what it means if one's chest has a warmth within it. He doesn't want to question it, either. His instinct is telling him this is a reaction he should savour, and he is happy to comply. Why would he want to supress something that feels so good?

The feral removes his hand from Kyle's chest and his pupils resume their default shape. He grabs his hand and leads him to the tree he had been sitting against. He doesn't glance at Kyle to determine whether or not he approves of being dragged toward the tree. Instead, it's all about what _he_ wants him to do. It gives the feral an air of authority. He is making it clear that he is the alpha, while Kyle is the omega.

Even if Alpha recognizes him and had expressed pleasure upon studying his features, Omega is still confused as to why he wants to survive in the woods with him. There isn't any reason to have faith in his survival skills. He's a small, injured feral, who had proven not too long ago he isn't even able to stand up against potential threats. Had he somehow managed make Alpha sympathetic of his condition? Perhaps if he is taken care of, he will recover. Sure, there is the risk of him being a burden for a while and dying off, despite the efforts to keep him alive. However, if the result is recovery, instead of death from the wound growing infected or Omega becoming a victim of his vulnerability, it might be worth it. Maybe Omega can prove himself a helpful partner when his wound is healed and Alpha won't have to survive the winter on his own.

However, if Alpha is willing to lower his standards for an injured feral who has presented no survival skills, is he lonely? For whatever reason, the notion creates an emptiness in Omega's chest. Nothing is making sense about his existence. He reminds himself not to over think everything and focusses on what Alpha wants from him.

When they are at the tree, Alpha pushes down on his left shoulder, as a silent request for him to sit. Omega complies and awaits Alpha's next move. Shock strikes at his chest when he is presented with the half-eaten bird. What had he done to earn such a treat? Sure, there are only a few morsels of flesh remaining, but it is still a generous gift, nonetheless. Alpha didn't have to offer him any food at all. In fact, he could've forced him to eat the bones, instead of giving him actual food.

Omega doesn't grab the bird at first, as he can't recover from his disbelief. As a result, Alpha snarls; misinterpreting the lack of response as a sign of ungratefulness and growing offended. His eyes widen and he brings a tentative hand forward to grab the bird. In order to appease his master, he bites off the remaining flesh, while apologizing with his eyes. Alpha smiles at the obedience and ruffles his hair. It's a patronizing gesture, but he refuses to show that it bothers him. He doesn't want to test the patience of a powerful feral who is taking care of him.

When Omega is finished eating, Alpha gives him a concerned look. At first, he is confused as to why he is concerned, but he grows aware of his shivering. The air is chilly, and the wind isn't helping. Alpha grabs his hand once more and leads him to a rock shelter. It isn't perfect, but it's the best shelter available in the area. Even if it won't do the greatest job of keeping him warm, at least it can protect him from wind and rain.

At the shelter, Alpha points at a large pile of vegetation and moss. There is a sprinkle of feathers on the pile, which isn't impressive. Omega assumes his master is attempting to collect feathers for the bed, but he understands why he hasn't made much progress. For one, the vegetation and moss is fresh, meaning the bed is new and maybe the shelter hadn't been inhabited for a long time. Secondly, it's difficult to resist the temptation of eating a bird before plucking its feathers off. Based on his personal experience of eating the few morsels he was given, he believes he would also have a difficult time plucking off the feathers, instead of eating them with the meat.

Omega crawls onto the bed and lies down on his left side. Still pleased with the display of obedience, Alpha leaves him alone in the shelter. Omega assumes he is leaving to find more food, as the bird they ate was small, and the portion he was given does nothing to help out his intense hunger. In fact, the small amount of food helps him grow aware of how hungry he truly is.

His eyes grow heavy as he rests on the bed. The bed iss cold at first, but as he lies on it, more heat is generated in the material from his body. Plus, he is no longer being attacked by the wind. He is still experiencing a chill, as his choice in clothing during his last day as a human isn't the best for the weather he is dealing with. All he's wearing is a T-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. Still, he can cope with the cold. At least the bedding is aiding him at all.

He closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep.

**~O~**

Omega awakes to the sound of footsteps approaching him. He tries to ignore it and go back to sleep, but his plan fails. The scent of recently slaughtered prey surrounds the air around him, and his stomach complains in response. He groans, not wanting to do anything but return to the nothingness of his slumber, since the exhaustion is killing him. He opens his eyes to determine whether or not he has the opportunity to appease his neglected stomach. He hopes this is so, as he will have trouble sleeping if there is food around, but he isn't allowed to have any.

He spots Alpha sitting next to him, plucking feathers off a duck. Omega's gaze lingers for a while. The way its head is hanging because of its limp neck is enticing. It doesn't help that the feathers on its throat are stained with blood. It reeks of blood. A pleasant scent for a feral, if it comes from their food or enemies. He wants to tear his teeth into the flesh, but he waits until Alpha is finished plucking the duck's feathers until it's bald. He admires his master's discipline. He would've devoured the duck the moment he killed it.

After a long span of time has passed, Alpha believes he has plucked off enough feathers and eats his share of the flesh. Omega doesn't do anything to protest. The duck is large, anyway, so he's sure there will be plenty of food left for him.

Sure enough, when Alpha is satisfied with the amount he's eaten, he gives the rest of the duck to Omega. In response, he gobbles down large chunks of flesh until his stomach swears it can't handle holding anymore food. There is still flesh remaining on the duck, but he sets it aside to save for later.

Alpha crawls onto the bedding next to Omega and pulls him into a tight embrace. Omega doesn't do anything in response; he lies there and lets his master do what ever he wants to him. For whatever reason, he trusts him not to do anything malicious. Even though he has no valid reason to, as they hadn't spent much time together, yet.

The warmth he had in his chest from earlier returns as his hair is stroked. The debris in his hair from being outside for more than a day is picked out while he is being pet. The caring gesture causes his mind to go blank with relaxation and he snuggles his head against Alpha's warm chest.

When Alpha is finished grooming him, he pulls him even closer. Whether or not he will survive isn't a concern for Omega at the moment. He doesn't believe anything can hurt him while he's held in his master's strong arms. For whatever reason, a strong feral has made it his duty to protect him, and he is grateful for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As mentioned in the tags, there is possible OOC in this story. If something seems off about the way the characters are acting right now, it's because they're ferals with primitive minds. 
> 
> Also, I can't promise there will be a lot of updates in the near future. I'm going to be busy for the next three weeks. After all, I'm going to be graduating from high school soon! So yeah, I have a lot of events to attend, college stuff to complete, and job hunting to do.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of the chapter might be a little gross. I swear I'm not writing gross things for the sake of being disgusting, though. It has relevance. I promise.

Alpha awakes to find there is something warm next to him. At first, he is confused, but he gazes down at whatever the source of warmth is to find Omega sound asleep in his arms. He smiles at the sight and runs his fingers through his den-mate's curly, red hair. Though he isn't aware of what is going on, Omega snuggles closer to him in response. The reaction causes Alpha's heart to flutter with happiness.

They hadn't been together long, but he can tell with the little time they had spent together, there is something special about Omega. Regardless of the low rank he was assigned. In a way, he suspects his partner has a power over him that the typical omega shouldn't have over their leader. First of all, he doesn't only care for keeping him alive, he wants him to be happy and comfortable, too. Secondly, being around him gives his life more meaning, as if he was incomplete when he didn't have him around. For whatever reason. Lastly, Omega is cute and charming in his own unique way. He loves his red curls and small figure. Not to mention, he's affectionate.

Alpha also appreciates how his den-mate's slightly yellowish green eyes gaze at him sometimes. Even though he has so far been doing a good job of acting submissive around him, there is still a spark of curiosity in his eyes. He can tell Omega sometimes questions why he has to do certain things in his mind, but it isn't a problem if he's following the rules. It's a sign he is thinking, which means he has the potential to be a quick learner, and may have helpful ideas in the future.

Perhaps one day, they can rid themselves of the power dynamics they have between each other and give each other equal respect. It isn't as if Alpha wants to give him a low rank. There isn't as much of a need for ranks when there are only two ferals compared to a group of them, anyway. The reason why he wants Omega to be submissive is because he doesn't have faith in his survival skills. Sure, as he has observed before, Omega thinks about things. However, he hasn't demonstrated that he knows what he's doing when it comes to living in the woods.

One theory Alpha has as to why his survival skills are lacking is because he hasn't been a feral for long. He recalls attacking Omega when he was a human. Somehow, he'd become a feral after the attack (which makes no sense to him). At the same time, though, Alpha doesn't recall being a feral for much longer. His first memory is finding himself in the middle of the woods and attacking a human who was near by because he believed he was being threatened somehow. He doesn't appear to be having a problem surviving.

Perhaps Omega isn't terrible at using common sense when it comes to survival, but has been unlucky? His size is a disadvantage, as he is weaker because of it. Not only that, but he is less likely to be taken seriously by other ferals and would be viewed as an easy target. It isn't shocking that he is injured at the moment. If Alpha hadn't attacked him, and Omega had been wandering out in the woods on his own at night, something else would've. In case his unfortunate situation isn't only caused by bad luck, though, he believes it will be best if he doesn't do much of the decision making.

Alpha catches the whiff of something fowl. At first, he cringes with disgust, but it doesn't take long for him to figure out the scent is coming from the feral next to him. Which causes concern to prickle in his mind. He analyzes the scent with his superior sense of smell to discover it has something to do with the wound he'd inflicted upon Omega. Guilt clenches his gut, but he is quick to recover. He has to figure out what is wrong with the injury.

The right sleeve of Omega's T-shirt is shredded a bit at the end, as Alpha's teeth had punctured it. He pulls the sleeve up so he can have a perfect view of the wound. The skin surrounding the wound is red and swollen. There is a yellow bump on the it, which he can tell is being caused by a build up of pus, based on the scent. Something tells him the pus isn't supposed to be there. That he needs to somehow drain it and clean the wound afterward. At first, he's stumped, but he's able to formulate a plan.

Alpha unseathes one if his claws a quarter of the way. He punctures the yellow bump, which causes Omega to cry out in pain and open his eyes wide in shock. He attempts to sit up, so it is easier for him to back away, but he is pinned to the bedding he had been sleeping on. His pupils narrow in fear at being restrained, but he doesn't struggle. He turns his head so he can gaze into Alpha's eyes. His eyebrows are furrowed with concern, as if he is trying to ask him why he is hurting him. Alpha keeps his expression neutral, in an attempt to appear reassuring. It isn't the best way to try and come off as harmless and it doesn't work, but it's the only strategy he can come up with. He believes it's at least better than expressing his reluctance. Expressing any negative emotion would make everything worse in such a situation.

Alpha sighs and reaches his hand toward the wound in an attempt to squeeze it so the pus pouring out of it comes out faster. Omega covers the wound with his left hand and cringes, but he hand is moved out of the way with ease. He whimpers as the wound is squeezed. The sight of the vile, yellow liquid makes Alpha want to gag. It doesn't help that some of it ends up on his fingers, but he resists the urge. When he is finished draining the wound, he frees Omega and leaves the den to search for fresh moss and water.

He finds an abundance of moss on a large rock and gathers it up into a large ball. He walks to the lake and kneels down so he can soak the ball of moss with water. Once he is satisfied with the amount of water soaked into the moss, he heads back toward the den, to find Omega sitting against the rocky wall. He's holding his legs so his knees are against his chest. He glares at Alpha as he approaches him with the wet moss, but makes no attempt to leave from his spot against the wall.

Alpha places the moss on the infected wound and wipes the pus off. The cold causes Omega to flinch, but he still doesn't move. All he does is continue to glare at Alpha for waking him up in such a painful and disgusting manner. His master doesn't appreciate the way he is being glared at, but he ignores it and completes the task of caring for his partner's injury. When he's finished, he grabs what remains of the duck they had eaten most of before falling asleep and hands it to Omega. He hopes it will make up for hurting him in an attempt to help him. Besides, Alpha himself isn't hungry after taking care of the wound, so there's more for him. He prefers to wait until he regains his appetite before taking a bite of anything.

Omega is no longer glaring. Instead, confusion is evident in his expression, as he is being offered food and doesn't have to wait for Alpha to eat first. It is like the time he was offered the small bird to eat. He hesitates before taking the food offered to him. He is rewarded with a pat on the head for his obedience and Alpha leaves him alone in the den as he hunts for food.

During his early night hunt, Alpha manages to kill a rabbit, a squirrel, and three small birds. He is shocked about finding a squirrel, as he only ever senses them skittering around on the forest floor during the day. This one was injured, though. Not only did the injury make it an easy kill, but it explains why it was out of its shelter at night.

Alpha carries the fresh kill back to his den. His appetite has returned, and he can't wait to try the rabbit and the squirrel. He's sure Omega will appreciate all the food he's bringing back from his hunt. Except, Omega isn't lying in the bed and resting as he's supposed to. In fact, he's no where to be found within or outside near the den. This causes Alpha to let out a growl of impatience. He sets the freshly killed critters down on the ground, near the bed, and into a pile before heading off to search for Omega.

He follows his scent trail to figure out where he went, and it isn't long until he finds him crouched down in front of a puddle. He is slurping water from his cupped hands and soaking his thighs in the process, as he loses most of the water as he tries to drink it. No surprise there. Hands do a terrible job of holding liquid.

Alpha sighs and walks towards Omega. He grabs his wrist, but is careful not to hold it too tightly. He tugs so the Omega stands up and strides away with him. There is no protest, but his den-mate gazes at the puddle longingly; sliding his tongue across his chapped lips. He must be thirsty. That's understandable. He has no access to water in the den and he is being forced to hang out there until he is better.

Omega lies on the bed when they arrive at the den and Alpha attempts to come up with a way to quench his thirst. He recalls how he was able to soak a large ball of moth with water at the lake when he wanted to clean out Omega's wound. Not to mention, it held in the water well and he was able to squeeze it out with ease when he needed to. Which is why he figures soaking a ball of moss is the best way to provide his partner with water.

He gathers up fresh moss to form a ball. This time, he gathers it up from the bark of a tree. He soaks it with water from the lake and gives it to Omega when he is back at the den. While he is busy sucking water from the moss, Alpha leaves him once more to gather up more moss to soak and leave in the den. When he figures there is enough moss being used to hold water, he grabs the moss balls that have been sucked dry and soaks them once more. He wants to make sure there is enough water around so Omega can't use thirst as an excuse to leave the den, anymore.

When he is finished with the task, Alpha grabs the rabbit and the squirrel from the pile of dead critters. He gobbles them down until only the bones remain. This leaves Omega with three birds, if he is still hungry after eating what remained of the duck. Three birds should be plenty of food to hold him over for at least a few hours. If Alpha's luck continues to help him as much as it has been, he will have more food to bring back by the time they are both hungry again.

Omega doesn't bother touching the three birds left for him, but Alpha doesn't mind. He leaves him behind to hunt for more food, hoping his inferior will follow the unspoken rule about staying in the den.

Alpha walks towards the lake. He catches sight of a group of duck's swimming around in the water and muttering amongst each other. They sound ridiculous, but Alpha lost his sense of humor since becoming a feral. Instead, their awkward muttering intrigues him, as it means they are distracted. He makes his footsteps as light as possible while he approaches them. However, he is distracted when a scent that isn't supposed to be there invades the air. He can tell right away it is Omega.

He bares his teeth in irritation. Why won't his inferior listen! Ever since he'd cared for his wound, Omega has been defying him. Has the pain he put him through made him want to rebel? If so, he should get over it! It wasn't the worst thing he could've done to him, and it was for the sake of his well-being.

At the same time, though, he could be growing bored of lying around in the den all day. Even if he's injured, it's clear he still has energy. Alpha can understand why he would be restless. Besides, its hard work to hunt for two ferals. Maybe he wants to chip in?

Regardless of his reasons for wanting to leave the den, he should still rest and let his wound heal. He's going to risk slowing his recovery down if he doesn't.

There is a splashing noise, which distracts Alpha from his irritation for a moment. He turns his head toward the source of the sound to find Omega with an impaled fish flailing about on his claws. The claws are pierced through its gills, making it so there is no chance the fish will last much longer. Even if it escapes. A stream of blood makes its way down the claws and onto Omega's hand. A smile appears on his face. There is no denying that the fish is an impressive catch. Not only did it take no time at all for it to appear at the lake's shore, but it is large. Not to mention, the bluish silver scales are a beautiful sight, which is a trivial plus about the fish for anyone who cares.

Omega's smile disappears when he catches sight of Alpha glaring at him. The way he is attempting to apologize with his eyes is a sign he is aware he did something wrong. Which doesn't help at all. Despite growing more frustrated with his inferior as time passes, Alpha does his best to not appear aggressive. Even if he wants to be firm, he doesn't want to come off as a tyrant. Besides, Omega had caught a large fish seconds ago. Even if he broke the rules to do so, he still deserves to be congradulated for it. Except, Alpha doesn't want to risk encouraging the rebellious behavior, so he doesn't do that, either.

He settles for lifting Omega up into his arms so he is being held bridal style. It's a patronizing gesture, but it's harmless. Besides, if Omega wants to act like a child and not follow the rules, he's going to be treated like one. Alpha doesn't understand why it's difficult for him to obey his simple instructions. He's going to make life hard for himself if he doesn't do what's expected of him. Whereas if he obeys, he will be granted more privileges. It's common sense, so the choice should be obvious.

Omega makes no attempt to wiggle his way out of Alpha's arms while he's being carried, which is an improvement, but it isn't enough to help his case. Alpha sets him down on the bed and slides the fish, which is now still, off his claws. He places it on top of the dead birds he caught earlier. Before leaving the den to return to his hunt, he gives Omega a piercing glare that says, _This is your last warning! You better start listening!_

Omega turns his gaze toward the ground. His head is bowed, which pleases Alpha. He trusts that his authority will be respected from now on.

**~O~**

Alpha returns with yet another duck. He's pleased, as this duck is larger than the last one he caught. However, the excitement dies he finds Omega searching the undergrowth for prey. He sets the duck down and snarls. He's done putting up with the disrespect. Did Omega believe he could catch more prey and not be caught? Isn't he aware of the trail of evidence he will leave behind if he goes hunting? Even if he tries to cover up sneaking out to hunt, Alpha is sure he would figure out what he was up to. It would be time consuming for him to hide it, and Alpha can return home at any time for any reason, as he doesn't have a schedule. On top of being disrespectful, Omega isn't being smart. Nothing a punishment can't help.

Alpha unsheathes his claws, and when Omega turns his gaze towards him, his pupils narrow into thin lines at the sight. At first, he is frozen in his spot, but a growl from his master is enough to make him run.

The reaction causes Alpha's to grow even more angry, so he chases after him. He doesn't have to run for long either, as even if Omega is fast, he ends up tripping, which gives Alpha more than enough time to pin him to the ground so he can't try to escape again.

He lifts a hand up to show off his long, sharp claws. He makes sure Omega has a perfect view of them before he puts them toward his face. However, something strange happens. Water developes in Omega's eyes.

Alpha stops what he's doing and his anger vanishes, to be replaced with curiosity. Can intense emotions cause someone's eyes to water? Even if he believes the response is abnormal, he can't help the prickling sensation it gives his skin. He hates whatever this reaction is, and he wants it to stop.

He sheathes his claws, in an attempt to make Omega stop whatever he's doing, but it doesn't help. Instead, a tear escapes from one of his eyes, and a strangled sob leaves his mouth. There is no doubt about it. The noise is a sign the reaction is one caused by distress. Alpha was being cruel. What did he do to come off as cruel, though? It wasn't as if he was going to give Omega another injury. He was only going to give him a light scratch across the cheek. It would be enough to draw blood, but not enough to be traumatizing. Does he not understand he only wants to do what's best for him?

Alpha stops pinning Omega to the ground and pulls him into a tight embrace. At first, Omega struggles and whimpers, but stops when it is clear he is not going to be able to free himself of the hold. A series of quiet sobs shakes his body, as he's still terrified. In response, Alpha strokes his hair and holds him tighter, in an attempt to calm him down.

It takes a while, but Omega stops crying. However, he's still trembling, and Alpha can tell it isn't only because he's cold. Based on the way Omega is shifting about, it is clear he is still uncomfortable. There's an emptiness in Alpha's chest, but he ignores it, as he needs to find a way to fix his mistake.

He lifts Omega up into his arms and carries him as he did earlier in the night. He sets him down on the bed and grabs the fish from the pile of food. Hoping food will cheer him up, Alpha displays the fish to Omega. The frightened feral grabs it and nibbles on it, which is a sign he is only eating because he believes he has to. If he had an appetite before today's event, it's gone now.

Alpha pulls him onto his lap while he eats and continues to pet him. Omega only eats a sixth of the fish before gagging. He isn't pressured into eating any more of it, though. Instead, the fish is removed from his hands and set aside, and he has his head held against his master's chest.

A long span of time passes, and Omega's eyes grow heavy. However, he's still shaking. Alpha sighs and tries to soothe him by rubbing gentle circles on his back. He doesn't understand why, but also ends up swaying slightly as he holds the drained feral. Which helps, as he manages to lull him to sleep at some point. He is never satisfied with the amount of comfort he gives him, though. The guilt is making him queasy. He hopes he can be forgiven for what he's done, as it will help him move on.


End file.
